DeAndre Hopkins is first Texans' pick, youngest 1st-rounder in Tiger history

Former Daniel High star is first Tiger WR picked in first round since Rod Gardner in 2001

Staff Report

8:00 AM, Apr 26, 2013

Clemson wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins points to fans after his team beat LSU 25-24 at the Chick-Fil-A Bowl at the Georgie Dome in Atlanta, Ga.

*DeAndre Hopkins is the 23rd first-round selection in Clemson history, the first since C.J. Spiller was the ninth pick of the NFL Draft in 2010.

*Hopkins is the first Clemson wide receiver to be selected in the first round since Rod Gardner was the number 15 selection of the Washington Redskins in 2001.

*Hopkins will be coached by Texans wide receivers coach Larry Kirksey, who was on the University of Alabama coaching staff when Dabo Swinney was a player, and then a graduate assistant coach with the Crimson Tide (1990-93).

*Hopkins is the first Clemson player to leave the school after his junior year and become a first round pick since Anthony Simmons was the 15th pick of the first round in the 1998 draft. Trevor Pryce (1997) and Chester McGlockton (1992) are the other two Clemson juniors to come out early and be a first round selection.

*Hopkins is the first Clemson player to be drafted by the Houston Texans in history. Only two former Clemson players have played for the Texans, Dexter McCleon on 2006 and Thomas Austin in 2011.

*Hopkins selection means Clemson has had at least one player taken in the NFL draft for 11 consecutive years. The Tigers have had at least one offensive player taken in the draft 10 straight years.

*Hopkins is the fifth Clemson wide receiver drafted by the NFL in the last 10 years. All five have been coached by Dabo Swinney as either an assistant coach or head coach. The others are Derrick Hamilton (2004), Airese Currie (2005), Chansi Stuckey (2007) and Jacoby Ford (2010).

*Based on history Hopkins is in good position to make the Texans as a rookie. Each of the last 47 Clemson players drafted within the first 70 picks went on to play in the NFL. The streak goes back to 1963.

*Hopkins is the first Clemson player taken with the 27th pick of the draft since 1951 when Fred Cone was the 27th pick (in the third round) by the Green Bay Packers.

*Hopkins is the 10th ACC wide receiver drafted in the first or second round since 2006.

*With the selection of Hopkins and four others, the ACC has now had at least one first round draft choice in each of the last 25 years.

*At 20 years, 10 months and 13 days, Hopkins is the youngest first-round draft choice in Clemson history. The previous youngest was linebacker Anthony Simmons, who was drafted on April 18, 1998 at the age of 21 years, 9 months and 29 days